I just got a new Nauticam housing for my D7100. For the life of me, I cannot figure out how to mount the zoom gear for the Tokina 10-17. Could someone please explain? Pictures would be even better.

There are 2 parts to the zoom gear. One is a rubbery ring that I presume goes around the zoom ring of the lens. The other is the actual gear that I presume goes around the rubbery ring. But when I mount the rubbery ring on the zoom gear of the lens, the diameter is wider than the inner diameter of the gear, so it has no possibility of fitting. Also, the rubbery ring seems to have an up and down and I am not sure which direction should face where. It's not even clear to me the sequence whereby the parts go on the camera (lens, rubbery ring, gear).

I have another question about the housing. I am trying to mount my focus light on the housing, so I need to add a 1 inch ball. I already have the M10 strobe mounting ball (25221). The question is how do I mount it to the housing? There's a metal plate connecting the handles to the housing for stability. Once I remove this, there is a plastic plug in the hole that I need to use (see picture for the plastic plug). It is lodged in pretty tightly and I cannot seem to remove it. How do I remove this plastic plug? Thank you.

You have to remove the rubber grip from the lens focus barrel first. Slip the corner of a credit card or an o-ring remover under the rubber ring to carefully ease it up. Clip the inner part of the lens gear where the grip came off with the slightly wider end facing outwards. This acts as a stop to the main part when you slide this over.

MarkD, thank you. Your description was easy to follow and it worked out perfectly.

Alex, thank you. I wasn't able to view the video on either the my mac or pc. I am not sure why. But in any case, I have figured out the zoom gear situation based on MarkD's explanation.

I tried to use a pair of long nosed pliers to remove the plastic plug on the housing but it is lodged in very tightly. I even broke off a small bit of the plastic plug by applying too much force to the pliers. Any other ideas?

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Please see the attached picture. The hole on the housing where the mounting ball is supposed to go is blocked by a white plastic plug that is stuck very tight. I would like to know how to remove it without using brute force as I am afraid to damage the housing. Any help is much appreciated!

Please see the attached picture. The hole on the housing where the mounting ball is supposed to go is blocked by a white plastic plug that is stuck very tight. I would like to know how to remove it without using brute force as I am afraid to damage the housing. Any help is much appreciated!

Your housing came with a black round tool with two little prongs on it. That little tool is for removing and installing that plastic piece. There is a hole through that tool and you can put an Allen wrench through it to get leverage while GENTLY, and FIRMLY, and SLOWLY turning it.

Edited by Kelpfish, 04 August 2013 - 03:45 PM.

Joe BelangerAuthor, Catalina Island - All you Need to Knowwww.californiaunderwater.comwww.visitingcatalina.com

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ALSO, the Tokina lens is held together with tape, under the lens grip you will/did remove. This tape fails easily and your lens will not zoom without it in place. What works well, at least for me, is clear packing tape. Tape over the black tape you will find under the grip. You want thin packing tape and do not overlap it or do so as little as possible. This tape adds thickness to the lens, however slight, and you may have to remove some of the black rubber partial o-rings on the inner most barrel of the zoom ring to allow the outer gear assembly to get over it. Be careful when removing the zoom gear assembly to prevent damaging this tape.